JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As hockey season kicks off, there is another sport on the ice that is gaining traction in Jacksonville and is one of the most watched games during the Olympics… curling!
Coming up on Nov. 18, anyone can get a chance to try their 'slide and sweep' at the ice sport. The Jacksonville Granite Curling Club is holding a 'Learn To Curl' event and it is open to all ages and abilities.
"[The] first hour is going to be learning curling, [the] second hour we are playing a game and [the] third hour, there will be some awards and prizes and beverages," Jacksonville Granite Curling Club President Brian Damon said with a laugh. "We call that broom stacking in curling."
The club itself was founded in 2017 after Jacksonville hosted the National Curling Championships in 2016 and it grew to nearly 100 members, but membership took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic as organizers are hoping to build it back up. The club says friendships are built on the ice and you will walk away with a new appreciation for the Olympic sport.
"They get out there and start exercising with a broom and start going up and down the ice and realize how much of a workout it really is, so it is a good all-around sport," says Tom Merrett, the founder of the club.
Club organizers say they are also open to doing company retreats or fields trips to teach kids about the science behind curling.
So, if you are interested in the 'Learn To Curl' event, contact the Jacksonville Granite Curling Club here.